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Analytical Chemistry
CHM 4
Errors in Chemical Analysis
Steps in a Typical Quantitative
Analysis
• Data of unknown quality are useless!
• All laboratory measurements contain
experimental error.
• No measurement is perfectly
accurate or exact. Many
instrumental, physical and human
limitations cause measurements to
deviate from the "true" values of the
quantities being measured. These
deviations are called "experimental
uncertainties," but more commonly
the shorter word "error" is used.
Terms and Definitions
x i
x i 1
N
• Median: the middle value of replicate data
• If an odd number of replicates, the middle
value of replicate data
• If an even number of replicates, the
middle two values are averaged to obtain
the median
Calculation: Mean and Median
• Example I: measurements of Fe (III) concentrations:
• 19.4, 19.5, 19. 6, 19.8, 20.1, 20.3 ppm (parts per million)
• What are the mean and median of these measurements
• Mean = 19.4 + 19.5 + 19.6 + 19.8 + 20.1 + 20.3
6
= 19.78 ppm = 19.8 ppm
• 6 replicates
• An even number of replicates !!!
• Median = 19.6 + 19.8
2
= 19.7 ppm
Calculation: Mean and Median
• Example II: measurements of Fe (III)
concentrations: 19.4, 19.5, 19. 6, 19.8, 20.1
ppm (parts per million)
• What are the mean and median of these
measurements
• Mean = 19.4 + 19.5 + 19.6 + 19.8 + 20.1
5
= 19.68 ppm = 19.7 ppm
• An odd number of replicates !!!
• Median = 19.6 ppm
Calculation: Mean and Median
• Example III: measurements of Fe (III)
concentrations:19. 6, 19.4, 20.1, 19.5, 19.8
ppm (parts per million)
• What are the mean and median of these
measurements
• Mean = 19.4 + 19.5 + 19.6 + 19.8 + 20.1
5
= 19.68 ppm = 19.7 ppm
Calculation: Mean and Median
XXX X X
X
X X
XXX
X
X
X
X
X
__
Mean : X Xt = true value
Accuracy and Precision
Terms and Definitions
Calculate
• a) The mean of the data set
• b) The median of the data set
• c) The absolute error of the 2nd determination
• d) The absolute average error of the data set
• e) The relative error of the 4th determination
in ppt
• f) The relative average error of the data set in
ppt
Types of Errors